Kiwi Vogel Bread — Ralphs USA Adaptation

Vogels Bread

After living in the USA for some time, the worst part has been the commercial bread — it’s more like candy than actual bread. After much trial and error, I’ve come up with a simple recipe for a loaf that’s somewhat like the iconic Kiwi Vogel’s bread, made with ingredients you can easily find in the USA.

Interestingly, due to whatever is in the Quaker oats (I assume), this version lasts much longer in storage than the authentic New Zealand one. I guess the less said about that, the better!

This bread is fantastic fresh for the first couple of days, and after that, it makes perfect toast. It’s a quick and easy recipe, taking less than two hours from start to bliss.

Ingredients:

· 360g Bread Making White Flour

· 360g Wholemeal Flour

· 50g Rolled Oats

· 80g Cracked Rye Berries (Amazon Link)

· 2.5 tsp Dried Yeast

· 1 1/2 tsp Salt

· 1 Tbsp Sugar

· 1L Water at 100°F

Equipment:

· Baking Pan (USA Pan Bakeware Pullman Loaf Pan, Large, Silver)

· Large Digital Scale (Amazon link)

· Oil Mister (Amazon link)

· Oven Thermometer ( Hotloop Digital Oven Thermometer Heat Resistant up to 572°F/300°C, LCD

· Instant read Thermometer

Instructions:

1. Lightly oil your baking pan with olive oil using the oil mister.

2. Place a large bowl on the scale and measure all the dry ingredients into it. Mix well with a spoon, ensuring nothing spills out.

3. Add the 100°F water (use the instant-read thermometer to check) and mix thoroughly until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. The mixture should be slushy and well combined within about a minute.

4. Using a spatula, transfer the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Tap the pan on the counter and use the spatula to smooth the mixture, ensuring it’s evenly spread. Wipe off any spillage on the sides to prevent it from baking on.

5. Place the pan in an oven set to 50°C (about 122°F) for 40 minutes to allow the dough to rise until it nearly reaches the top. Use the oven thermometer to monitor the temperature. If your oven doesn’t go as low as 50°C, turn it on briefly, then off once it reaches the desired temperature. You can also open the door if it gets too warm. (Tip: I find that turning my oven on for 3 minutes and then off when I start making the bread maintains around 50°C for the rising stage.)

6. After the rising stage, set your oven to 390°F (200°C).

7. Bake the bread for 40 minutes at 390°F.

8. Once baked, remove the bread from the oven, let it sit for 5 minutes then tip it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Let it cool for 2–3 hours (if you can resist that long!).

9. Enjoy your freshly baked bread with butter — or even Marmite and cheese if you like! 😊

Storage:

• Store leftovers in a bag (*Amazon link*).

• Do not refrigerate the bread on the first day.

• For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze it.

• If freezing, consider slicing or cutting the loaf in half.

• The bread should last at least a week in the fridge, while the frozen portion can be stored long-term.

Enjoy your homemade Vogel’s bread!